PHIL TAYLOR created a new world record average in a televised game, whitewashing Kevin Painter to set up
a fifth round clash with Simon Whitlock in the UK Open.
Taylor's record-breaking fortnight continued with a sensational 118.66 average in denying Painter a dart at a
double in the nine legs.
Taylor launched a relentless barrage from the opening dart, when he kicked off the match with a 180,
and ended the contest with six maximum scores, three 11-darters and a 126 checkout.
"Kevin's a great player and I knew I had to perform to beat him," said Taylor, who had hit two nine-darters
in winning the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts final a week last Monday.
"It sends a message out to the other players for the next round, and I love the competition of darts at the
moment."
Taylor now faces in-form Australian Simon Whitlock in the last 16 in a repeat of their meeting in the
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship final in January.
Whitlock's UK Open debut continued in style with a brilliant 9-4 defeat of Robert Thornton, as he reeled off
seven successive legs to come from 4-2 down against the Scot.
Australian ace Whitlock hit a ten-darter and averaged 104.55 in sweeping to victory with a 50 percent
checkout ratio.
Gary Anderson and Mervyn King will meet in another tasty fifth round game, having overcome Paul Nicholson and
Michael Smith respectively in the last 32.
Anderson – certainly the crows favourite in the match - avenged last year's loss to Nicholson in Bolton with
a 9-7 victory, as he hit back from 7-6 down to take the final three legs without reply, while King pulled
clear from five-all to defeat Smith 9-6.
2008 champion James Wade remains on course for another UK Open title after ending the hopes of Irish
youngster William O'Connor with a 9-3 win, and he faces Kevin McDine after the Geordie saw off the last
Rileys Amateur Qualifier Paul Warwick 9-8 from being 8-6 down.
Ronnie Baxter and Andy Hamilton set up a fifth round meeting with wins over Tony Eccles and Alex Roy
respectively, while Sussex thrower Tony Ayres came from 5-0 down to win 9-7 against former finalist Mark
Walsh.
Fleetwood's Wes Newton bettered Whitlock's finishing with a superb 60 percent in a 9-1 win over Steve Maish,
matching his scoreline in defeating Terry Jenkins in Friday's third round as he reached the last 16 for a
third successive year.
Newton will take on Nigel Heydon, an undertaker from Leamington Spa, in the last 16 after the UK Open
debutant defeated Wales' Wayne Atwood 9-6.
Defeats for Jelle Klaasen and 2004 winner Roland Scholten, against Wayne Jones and Alan Tabern respectively,
saw the Dutch challenge in Bolton ended, while last year's beaten finalist, Colin Osborne, was defeated 9-5
by Adrian Lewis.
Lewis now faces Jones, while Tabern takes on Ayres in the last 16, with the other fifth round game seeing
Andy Smith face Denis Ovens.
Smith overcame Jamie Caven 9-5, while Ovens came from 5-3 down to win 9-7 against Dennis Smith.
Andy Hamilton battled back from 7-5 down to win 9-7 against Ronnie Baxter and book a first UK Open
quarter-final spot. Hamilton landed a 180 in winning the game's opening leg, but Baxter broke his throw in
the third leg, taking cushions of 3-1 and 4-2. Hamilton levelled by winning the next two, but Baxter
moved 7-5 up before a missed bullseye gave the Stoke-born star his chance. Hamilton took out double three
before then finishing 104 in the next and then taking out double eight to lead for the first time since l
eg one, before sealing victory on double 18.
Denis Ovens joined Hamilton in qualifying for the last eight for the first time in Bolton with a 9-1 rout
of Andy Smith. Smith took the opening leg against the darts, but failed to win another as the Hertfordshire star
progressed.
James Wade powered past Kevin McDine 9-2 to remain on course for a second UK Open title. Wade took out 122
in the opening leg and also won the next three before McDine finished 107 to get off the mark.
Wade's renewed accuracy on double top and double ten helped him win another four without reply, and though
he missed three match darts in the tenth leg, which McDine won on double 19, the left-hander took the next
to move into Sunday's last eight.
Sussex's Tony Ayres continued a dream run in the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open, knocking out Alan Tabern 9-5.
Tabern held an early 3-2 lead but Ayres edged 6-4 up before crucially taking out 154 to break throw and 100
to lead 8-4, and though the left-hander took the 13th leg it was Ayres who progressed to reach his first
televised quarter-final.
Wes Newton became the next first-time quarter-finalist in the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open, overcoming
Nigel Heydon 9-5 to reach the last eight. Newton took command early on by leading 3-1, and also led 5-2
and 8-3 before the undertaker from Leamington Spa hit back. Heydon, in his debut UK Open, won the next two
legs to threaten a comeback before the Fleetwood ace took the 14th leg to seal a last eight berth, having
gone out at this stage for the past two years.
Phil Taylor battled into the quarter-finals with a 9-6
defeat of Simon Whitlock following a gritty battle. Taylor followed up his fourth round world record average
of 118.66 with a 105 average in seeing off the Australia, who played his part by coming back from 4-0 down
to give Taylor some nervous moments. Taylor kicked off the game with a 180 and produced two more maximums in
taking the first four legs without reply, but Whitlock included a 90 finish in taking three in a row to
reduce the gap to one. He missed one dart to level as Taylor took the eighth on double eight, which was
followed by a double top finish as he moved 6-3 up. Whitlock hit 180s in winning the next two and also
reduced the gap to 7-6, but again saw the chance to level escape him, missing one dart at double 15 for a 90
finish. Taylor hit double top, and then finished 101 in the next to seal the win.
"Simon was great but I'm delighted to be in the quarter-finals," said Taylor. "He never lets you relax and you're
always on your guard, but I got through it and I'll have to pace myself on Sunday now if I'm
going to keep the title."
Mervyn King hit a nine-darter finish but still lost his game with Gary Anderson, going down 9-8 in a
thriller! King threatened a nine-darter in the game's opening leg, hitting back-to-back 180s to open the
game before taking the first leg in 11 darts, and he also led 3-0 before Anderson, aided by a brilliant 160,
hit back to level. King landed a 108 finish as the pair traded legs like prize boxers slugging it out,
before the Norfolk-based star produced a moment of magic in leg 13, hitting back-to-back 180s and taking out 1
41 on double 12 for a sensational nine-dart finish, becoming the second player, behind Phil Taylor,
to achieve the feat in Bolton. Anderson took the next leg to level again, before King hit an eighth 180 in
moving 8-7 up. The Scot, though, won the 16th leg with the aid of a maximum, before posting double six to
seal victory - the winning dart being the only time in the match he led.
"The nine-darter was fanastic but it was only one leg and it didn't win me the match," said King,
who had hit a nine-dart finish in the Virgin Atlantic South African Masters last September and received a
£5,000 bonus."When I hit a nine-darter last year I went on to lose to James Wade and I knew I had to keep my
focus this time, which I did. Gary was fantastic, though, and full credit to him for producing a great final leg."
Anderson admitted: "I couldn't believe the double six went in and I didn't really expect to get a chance in the
final leg because Mervyn had the throw, but I got the chance and had to hit it."
Adrian Lewis joined Stoke duo Phil Taylor and Andy Hamilton in the last eight with a 9-4 win over
Wayne Jones. Lewis pulled clear from one-all to lead 5-1 and 6-3. Jones did his best to stay in the game by
sharing the next two, but finishes of 110 and 100 saw Lewis progress.